You see, I’m not going to say I was “triggered” or anything like that by Trebek’s comments, but I was totally offended. And when someone says something offensive to you, the easiest next sentence is usually “I’m sorry,” or “I was just joking.”

That doesn’t take the sting out of his words, which I found ignorant and unnecessary. No one says, “oh those bus drivers are losers,” or “trash men? They’re terrible people.”

Nerdcore has been around as a term for over 10 years. In that time, countless artists have identified with the term, many have released Billboard-charting albums, and toured the world. It’s currently my full time line of work. I’m on one of the biggest Nerdcore tours to date, with over 50 US and UK stops.

So no, the fact that a 76 year old man called me a loser didn’t bother me, but it sure didn’t make me feel great.

I wrote a very small, very short response to Trebek and put it online that night before bed, and woke up with it being broadcast on TMZ, Entertainment Weekly, Billboard, and more.

“It’s a small corner of the hip-hop world but it’s a real and true respite to hundreds of thousands of people that are tired of being called losers, and would rather celebrate their nerdiness instead of trying to conform to society’s mandates.”

I haven’t watched Jeopardy in…wow since I was a kid. Other things drew my interests. They must pay Trebek tons of cash because a man his age should be taking it easy maybe traveling the world or learning a hobby. Maybe travel the world but alas…

Friends know I don’t answer the phone when Jeopardy is on! Trebek is friendly and polite to the contestants as he has ad lib conversations with the them. His joke went flat, he apologized publicly. He knows he’s in the same class as the rest of us nerds!

Alex Trebek can be a just a *touch* condescending to the contestants and many times he comes across as smug and just a flat out jerk but hey he’s been hosting Jeopardy for 30 + years so he’s doing something right and when you’re hosting an intellectual game show a certain amount of smug elitism comes with the terrain.